Mashed potatoes are a comfort food, thick and creamy and delicious. But, they are also loaded with carbohydrates and calories and unhealthy fats. For gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and gastric band patients who want the comforting feeling of mashed potatoes but still want to comply with their post bariatric surgery diet and lose weight, consider mashed cauliflower.
Some people, even foodies, swear by mashed cauliflower. The flavor profile and the texture of mashed cauliflower can rival that of mashed potatoes. Don’t expect a twin version, but you should expect a delicious side dish with fewer calories and grams of carbohydrates.
This low carb dish pairs well with a lot of protein choices, such as chicken, turkey, pork, fish, and beef. Protein should be a major focus of a post weight loss surgery diet, so focus on eating the protein or meat portion of you meal first, but mashed cauliflower can make an excellent choice for your vegetable serving.
Go ahead and give it a try! You’ve got nothing to lose but weight.
- Mashed Cauliflower
- 1 larger head of cauliflower
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- A few dashes of garlic powder
Directions:
- Cut cauliflower into pieces. Rinse thoroughly.
- Steam cauliflower until quite tender.
- Using a food processor, puree cauliflower pieces and add in olive oil, salt, and garlic powder.
- Spoon cauliflower mash into a casserole dish, bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese or chives, if desired.
This recipe is offered by Dr. Shillingford, M.D., P.A., a board certified surgeon specializing in laparoscopic and obesity surgery. Dr. Shillingford’s gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and gastric band patients come from all over South Florida for his services, including Boca Raton, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Naples, Orlando, and Jacksonville. Dr. Shillingford’s surgical weight loss patients are often seeking new recipes to increase the variety of their post bariatric surgery diet while still staying within the low calorie, high protein guidelines for weight loss after gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, or lap band surgery. As with any food after bariatric surgery, pay attention to your portion sizes and make sure you’ve eaten your protein first.
